Tattoos lead to suspect in adult novelty store robbery

Police: Suspect Cody McCollom, 36, visited store days before robber

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – A 36-year-old man with apparent ties to the U. S. Army is accused of robbing two San Antonio businesses, including one that sells adult products.

Cody McCollom, whose home address is on Ft. Sam Houston, was arrested Tuesday after San Antonio police found his white Jeep Liberty parked on base.

Police said it matched the description that witnesses gave of the robber's getaway car.

They believe he's the man who pointed a gun at a clerk inside Adult Novelty Store in the 4800 block of NW Loop 410 on Sept. 1.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, the clerk told McCollom he was not able to give him any money, and that's when McCollom grabbed about $300 worth of items from the store and left.

Police said he also robbed another store, in the 1400 block of Austin Highway, about 20 minutes later and got away with cash.

The affidavit stated that witnesses in both cases reported that the robber had distinctive tattoos on his arms.

They said he also left the scene in a white Jeep Liberty which had a distinctive sticker on the door, the affidavit stated.

After the robberies, police followed leads from witnesses who spotted the SUV heading toward Ft. Sam Houston.

They located the vehicle on base about a week later, the affidavit stated.

Police said they reviewed surveillance video from the adult store and realized that McCollom also had visited the business three days prior to the robbery.

They said cameras inside the store captured a man who had the same distinctive tattoos on his arms, as well as one of an army combat infantry badge on his back, the affidavit stated.

The video also shows him driving the same white Jeep Liberty, the affidavit stated.

However, police said the man in the video was wearing women's clothing, the affidavit stated.

It also stated that detectives discovered McCollom had been arrested in January in connection with an armed robbery in Nueces County.


About the Author:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.